How Often are Sequoyah Students Reading Books for Fun?
Image Credit: Harper Gowen
Try to think of the last time you read a book for fun. If you can, good for you! If you can’t, you’re not alone. In light of the phone ban this year, some Sequoyah students have turned to reading during the day; others have not picked up the habit. The Barefoot Times has reached out to a range of students who have different opinions on reading books for fun. Maybe after reading this article you’ll feel inspired to pick up a book!
There are so many different types of readers. Some read every day; some read once a month. For both sides of the spectrum, there are pros and cons. Violet Robinson ’28, an avid reader, said that one of the benefits of reading is that “it gives you a better and sort of bigger perspective on life, because you can see things from multiple points of view.” She points to why reading is beloved by people of all ages: you can always learn more about life through books. Reading gives people a better sense of empathy and understanding of the world—a strong reason as to why people should read books in their spare time. On the other hand, Robinson ’28 believes that the hobby comes with some drawbacks. She observed, “I spend so much money on books, I’m like broke!” Admittedly, many hobbies are quite costly. In this case, if you want to avoid that, you can visit your local library!
It is generally accepted that reading expands one’s knowledge and lets one’s imagination run wild, but some Sequoyah students like Sam Fish ’28 prefer the movie route. He stated, “I feel like a movie or a show or just something with visuals is easier, more convenient for me. I guess that’s the most Gen-Z excuse ever, but I still think that it [reading books] is cool.” Fish ’28 is definitely not the only student who feels this way. For some, it’s much easier to use up two hours of your day watching a movie instead of ten or more over the span of a week reading a book.
Additionally, a lot of students don’t have the time in their schedules for a hundreds-of-pages long book, so they choose an easier way to consume information instead. Social media is ubiquitous in the average teenager’s day to day life, and it can also be a distraction from the books sitting on one’s shelf. Sequoyah student Zoe Sanchez ’28, who reads a good amount of books on her own time, drove that point home: “If I wasn’t on my phone all the time, just to get on social media, then I would be actually more productive so I would have a lot more time to read.” Time is the biggest obstacle that prevents students from reading books they enjoy. It’s a sad reality that teens who used to read series after series in elementary school now don’t even pick up a book that isn’t assigned to them for school.
For most Sequoyahns, there isn’t enough time in the day to go to school, have a social life, do homework, and read on top of it all. Robinson ’28 shared, “the only thing stopping me from reading a lot more now is social media and homework,” which is a struggle that shows up for many readers at Sequoyah.
Even though not many people read on campus, Sequoyah’s environment makes it the perfect place to pick up a book: sitting under the tall trees, on the benches on campus, or even lying on the grass with a blanket are all excellent choices. It’s a very nice atmosphere, and the community members contribute to it as well. Sanchez ’28 declared, “I don’t feel weird [reading] at Sequoyah, because I feel like I can read freely and nobody’s here to judge.” She shared that reading at Sequoyah is much more comfortable than in any other space with teens her age. Feeling judged by your peers for a hobby you love is not a desirable feeling, so having a space that feels judgment-free is enough to boost your confidence and encourage you to be yourself.
Overall there aren’t many Sequoyah kids reading for fun, but the ones that are reading are having an excellent time doing so, and that’s what really counts! In the wise words of Dr. Seuss, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”